More faith voices in Minnesota’s campaign
Thousands of people of faith are joining the efforts to stand on the side of love and against the anti-marriage amendment in Minnesota. On March 4, nearly one thousand Jews from around the state gathered for training, textual study and inspiration as a way to mark and celebrate Purim by standing against the amendment.
And just this week, the Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, Minn., announced at a press conference that they are partnering with Minnesotans United for All Families, in which the Task Force is a coalition member, to encourage its members to start a conversation about marriage and why it matters.
The Task Force is on the ground in Minnesota working side by side with literally thousands of people of faith as part of this campaign to defeat the proposed constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples. And Minnesotans United for All Families is working in close coalition with nearly thirty faith traditions.
At this past weekend’s press conference, the Task Force’s Rev. Rebecca Voelkel said:
As I prepared for this event, I had a conversation with my five-year-old daughter about what she is learning in Sunday school. She told me she’s learning about God’s love, family and what being a good, loving Christian is. When she heard that I was going to be here today, she handed me this drawing that she had colored during Sunday school and said to me, ‘Mama, you tell people that God loves all families.’
So I stand here today, first as a mother who, with my partner, is trying to raise our daughter in the church.
The second reason I stand here is that my faith requires me to believe out loud. And I believe that God is a God of love who asks, cajoles, nudges and demands us to witness to that love in the world. Sometimes God’s requests come through the words of a five-year-old daughter.
I am so honored to stand on the steps of this hallowed church, which has been a leader in proclaiming God’s love in the world for over a century and a half. But the best part of today is that Plymouth’s proclamation isn’t a solo. Instead, Plymouth is joining a growing chorus of literally thousands, hundreds of thousands, of people of faith in Minnesota and millions around the country.
We are Hindus and Muslims, pagans and Christians, Jews and Unitarians. And this anti-marriage amendment demands us to stand together to say yes to love, to family, to all the church and synagogue and mosque has taught us. And all that we’ve been taught calls us to say no to this anti-marriage, anti-family amendment. May our voices join the mighty and expanding chorus of God’s love.
Plymouth Congregational Church leaders announced a number of ambitious goals the congregation is committing to, including delivering at least 1,000 votes against the amendment and having 10,000 conversations about the amendment with undecided Minnesotans. Read more about their goals here.
As a coalition partner, the Task Force continues to be a guiding presence in the faith organizing work for the campaign. Read more about our work here.
Watch a video of the press conference here:
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/39226435]
